Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-08-31
,spIAN CUSTOMS.
Rites of the Muskokees and
A. nafr''e Observances.


r. oI Longfellow in "Hiawatha"
81; ~. sa all the literary world |
,'s ."s with the traditions, customs
sinners OF life among ssa our h nortner IN
,!ns So long as as tn .se books are |
,ains, long will live the beautiful,
81, 90 .,nsoery Of these tribes. But the
ss:tn! Us Use homes we're farther south,
iIsrs mIV ssnbdued later, have been
eo wet' Little has been written of
ss.ec!eU, Who for so long wandered
q ul0e5 onr southern states, peaceful
.iousl nIpsted, and asking only TO be
s :'5sed the free range oi 'neii nun'ins
e9rna' If these tribes of the south are
aCs. .Sered into the territorial land
..1T So 80, ~ the government. In the
.fsl L. lived state of society in this
s1i-c.'t,ib,sr mere is little to recall the 70
#:tOI - sentiment usually connected
,s1Cs. a[s1 of the red man. a civilized
81 H. no nossesses but little attraction to
Icisl observer. Yet when the inner
i css .ne neople is reached, when the
iit o. ~ of soltdity is probed, and
:aiel ~ heart of the people revealed
u re. s,ill much 10 attract the TO
,s1ceII, Indians are very fond of recalling
I1e t- me exploits of their ancestors,
~! - =. t1ey gather around the camp
~ ". =. nigat. pipes are lighted and many
"; aye told OF the strength and pro- ess
a s;. o. c5iefs in former days, before the
j .l 60 made women of their braves.
s.s . IN the Young Indians are carefully
.-. ....c.a1 in the laws by which the tribe
=: tormeTly governed.
w sI I'M, the most interesting Of these
80 cng,oms, now almost extinct, wss
y. ..- marriage ceremony. This differed
-:.a-g in the different tribes. Among the
W. W. zee or Muscogee tribe the cere-
4- -sn Gas quite amusing. The loving
- .-.5 desirous Of taking into his wigwam
W. ~ csn,ivsting, black eyed maiden first
:y-- 10 inc fsther of the girl and oar
We for her. II he could give sutti-
-, a.. nrmber Of ponies the contract w.s
. ,-ci1ded. But the wooing CT the girl
~: vel TO come. As human nature is
na,5 t7e same, be the skin white or red,
40 be supposed that the girl was not
80 IGNORANT CT her lovers pre-
,.,srca. But, true to her femi-
s ne nature, she would not betrsy
~ knowledge In few days the
'.rs- comes, riding his feetest pony
mi Iesding another. These he ties in 6
inns of trees some distance from
- 49,. mousse Of his bride. Then
Fs,ins 0 course of action show.
ma the natural love Of the
ir3jsn for stealthy action. The family is
;y,ec,ing him snd have prepared supper
hf him; vet he approached the hut as
5o1gh life and death depended upon con
tq,lnent. No foe ever invaded al enemy,
,np with more caution, Springing
toa one tree TO another, hiding behind
gshes, crawling across open spaces, he
,7prOsches nearer and nearer. WheI
frther ccncesInent is Impossible he rise!
s,ect and walks to the door of the hut OF
e5.. he is invited 10 enter and eat sup,
E-. BE no sooner accepts the invita-
ion, .bsn the girl, who has watched hin
i supposed ignorance of his mission
ases gouri and goes to the spring TO
water. She is soon f lowed by the lover
10 picks her uJ in his arms and carries
Ter 10 where his ponies are tied
OF they go to his home snd people, anC
lie brave has married wife.
The Chatah or ChCctaw tribe has {
mole public ceremony. After the pre-
lnlnsries have been arranged with tht
parents, the friends of the families srt
csled together in some pleasant grow,
lear BY, and certain distance is marked
II on the smooth level ground.
The girl IS given start Of few yards
sn1 al the signsi begins to run to the en-
1.-THE course, the lover in close pursuit
The overtakes her, he must carry he
aCk to the starting point, notwith
sanding her struggles, and she is the
LIS !sWtul property, being captured Il
-s chsse.
ltmay be presumed that when tn
!01ng brave mad found favor IN her sight
IL -iEl would not run very fast; but i
ls casrced to be Old and ugly the girl
sometimes showed great feetness {
i0a.
Inc religious ceremonies Of the tribe
Bic Many and interesting. Ali worship
sll.ene being, and have much the sam
1eas Of heaven as the happy huntin
s.olnd, and of hell as place of torment
42e sTest religious service Of the year
iloSn as the "Ouskin season." or gree
com dance. Not sn Indian eats q graf
Gl0Tl until after the celebration. Tt
2sl prepare for this by q system of purl
-:iaon, eating OF bitter herbs and takin
medicines. This sometimes make
aem very sick, but is always rigidly sd
9tfed to. On s certain appointe
N Oil the tribe gather tOgetht
II one place, and 8 sacrifice Of thank
SWING IS offered 10 the Great Fatht
NE burning OF q fish, the heart {
ueer and an ear of corn. Then tt
sAlCe begins. There are separate dance
W he men and the women, and anotht
~sace Is participated in by all. IL tn
~ dance the inner circle is for Il
n0n5n, the next for the men and the GU
one Tor strangers. These lines a
Saeay watched, and any unwary strang,
.-J II Ills curiosity oversteps his line
-1ed!ste!y oesieged until he pays 81,
= tga!Valent. The dsnce is kept up du
ne entire day, and at night, tired 81
-'F?y, al return to their homes.
II. PAXsoN.
DISEASES are iasidious. A headsch
~eep.eSSneSS, nery0u sneSS mark their j